Crimson Flower in Bloom
by BlueCherryCocoa
Summary: Young trainers from all over the world have a bit of a history of messing around with forces they shouldn't be. Attacking their regional gangs or eco terrorists, breaking records, and solving mysteries most wouldn't be qualified to research without years of school. But, who was the child who started it all? Enter 'Red'wood Ketchum, and his marvelous misadventures through Kanto.


**It wasn't intentional for this to be uploaded on Pokemon Day, but it's whatever. Hey, y'know what lets you know you're kind of becoming a boomer? Realizing you like gen 1 a lot more than you thought. I actually had a lot of journey notes for protagonists thanks to writing Leaderboards, and Red's story notes is arguably my funniest one.**

**I had the overwhelming urge to just, like, write out my interpretation of the world, and it might just be because I don't really have people to shout my headcanons at anymore, since a lot of my friends are more interested in Fire Emblem nowadays. Granted, I'm almost there with em, cause I'm writing a modern fic for Three Houses on the side, I think it'll be fun to do a little fic to throw all my ideas out there. I don't wanna make any guarantees that it'll be finished, god knows I never finish anything unless it's a commission, but I do wanna try. I'm going hog wild, because I'm a loser, and cringe culture is dead.**

**Anyhow, obviously this story is based heavily on headcanons, pulling things I find interesting from multiple instances in the franchise. I hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

Soft brown eyes flutter open upon the coo of the pidgeys outside tickling his ears. He lets out a soft yawn and stretches out his limbs, kicking the blanket off him in the process. He didn't know when he fell asleep last night, but he _could_ remember how much difficulty he had falling asleep. Today _was_ the day he would receive his first pokemon, after all.

Redwood Ketchum, or Red for short, had turned 11 years old the day before. Normally, trainers would set out on their first journey a year beforehand. However, it took quite a bit of begging from Red for his mother to finally arrange it. The young boy could remember nearly dropping his slice of cake when he heard the news.

A familiar tingle danced across Red's skin. He sprung out of bed with a smile on his face, rushes to get dressed, usually a really tedious process and _nothing_ he'd usually bother with on a weekend. He'd put on his favorite outfit, and topped it off with the brand new red baseball cap he'd gotten for his birthday, before grabbing his packed bag and heading downstairs to find his shoes.

He spotted his mother as he came into the living room. She appeared to be fixated on the TV as her coffee heated up in the kitchen across from her. As Red's feet touched down on the hardwood floors, his mother smiled at him and waved.

"Good morning!" She began, "Did you sleep okay?" Red nodded in response and continued to make his way to the front door, his sneakers in sight. His mother cleared his throat, causing the boy to stop dead in his tracks. "I was about to make breakfast. Don't you want any before you go?" The boy wanted to shake his head, but he paused. His mother made good food, and this would probably be the last time in a while he'd have some. Despite his excitement… his partner could wait. So, Red slowly doubled back to the living room.

As if on cue, the coffee maker in the kitchen began to sound off. Red's mother rose from her seat and made her way to the kitchen. Just as Red began to sit down, he could hear, "Wash your hands, please!" from the kitchen. So, he followed close behind her.

With hands washed, hats off, and breakfast made, it was finally time to eat. Red and his mother sat across from each other. The former appeared to be shoveling his eggs into his mouth, while the latter took small sips at her coffee, her attention fixated on the TV to her right. She loved the movie playing, one of her favorites. And yet, she couldn't help but feel a tinge of sadness brush through her. Her attention falls back to her son, the focal point of her worries, before she finally speaks again.

"Red, honey," she began, catching the boy's attention and forcing him to look up from his plate, "I know that all young boys leave home someday, it even said so on TV. But, are you sure you want to do this?" In response, Red nods once again. His mother paused, unsure of why she asked in the first place. Of _course_ he was sure. Red had wanted to be a pokemon trainer his whole life, so why would he be intimidated now? Oh, to have her own childhood optimism return to her. With a deep breath, Red's mother continued. "I understand, but please, be careful out there. Call me when you can! And come home safe to me, okay?"

Red smiled at his mother, and nodded again. It was a bit embarrassing to think about, but he knew his mother loved him, and he loved her back. Though Red was sure he'd be fine out there, he knew why she was worried. Said mother reached her hand across the table to gently take Red's in her own.

"Finish up your breakfast, then head on over to the lab, kay? The professor should be waiting on you." With wide eyes, and the speed of a rapidash, Red quickly shoveled the rest of his eggs into his mouth. A small bit got caught in his throat, resulting in him reaching for his glass of orange juice to wash it all down. All the while, his mother looked on horrified. As soon as a sigh of relief escaped Red, his mother followed suit. While the display had done nothing to stifle her anxiety, she wouldn't dare make a second attempt today to convince her boy to stay home.

Red hopped from his seat and began to head to the door. His mother was tempted to ask him to put his dishes away, but she restrained herself. If she kept him any longer, he was bound to be late. As Red began to slip on his shoes, though, a sly smile crossed her face.

"Make sure to put on clean underwear!"

"_Mom_," Red squeaked, whipping his reddened face around to stare his mother down with narrowed eyes. His mother giggled.

"Just wanted to hear your voice before you, y'know, left..." Her expression changed from playful, to somber. Red's own expression softened, and he nodded his head once again.

"I love you," he manages to say before hopping to his feet once again. He could hear his mother returning the brief display of affection as he opened the door. He takes one last glance at his mother, waves, before walking outside, shutting the door behind him.

The sun was high in the sky, and it was pretty warm for a spring day in Pallet Town. Summer really _was_ coming up fast. Red could feel it. But, he couldn't dwell on his sudden regret on not wearing shorts now, for the professor was waiting for him, and so was his new partner. After a brief stretch, Red began to jog over to the research laboratory.

Red loved the lab. Well, he loved playing with the pokemon in the fields of the lab. If he wasn't out at the batting cages on weekends, he'd be there playing with the pokemon in Oak's care. Whenever the professor didn't need them, that is. For years, Red knew all he wanted in life was to be surrounded by pokemon. He didn't want to be a researcher, though. Red knew deep down in his heart that he wanted to be a trainer.

Red would watch exhibition matches on TV all the time. He didn't understand a lot of what went on, but _man_ was it cool. His favorite battles always involved the Elite 4, specifically Lance, but he thought Bruno and Lorelei were really fun to watch too. He'd never see them lose, which some would think got boring, but not Red. He always _loved_ seeing how they'd thrash their opponents every time. He got even giddier thinking that he now had the chance to get as strong as them, and even battle them himself!

The official pokemon league challenge leading up to the Indigo Conference! An event held every couple of years had once again started to take on new challengers. While Red could have started his journey the previous year, he wouldn't have had the chance to compete officially. This year, however, he was adamant on getting himself out there.

He would be the Pokemon League Champion. He _would_ be the Pokemon League Champion! As Red told himself this, he could feel his legs carrying him faster and faster. He _would_ be the champion. _He __**would**_ _be the champion! _He'd have shouted it to the heavens without a care in the world.. If not for one small thing.

With the lab in sight, he saw someone standing at the door. Immediately, Red's mood soured. He skidded to a stop, kicking up a bit of dirt. The other boy spotted Red, and smirked at him.

"Howdy, neighbor!" He sneered, waving his hand. "Didn't think you'd make it! Thought you were gonna ditch and stay home." The remarks caused Red to roll his eyes. It had been like this every day of Red's life. Evergreen Oak, or Green as everyone called him, had lived beside him for as long as Red could remember. Unfortunately, every time he remembered that, he wished that he'd been born literally _anywhere else_. Red had been forced to play with Green a lot back in the day, because his mother was friends with Green's grandfather, Professor Oak. But Red _hated_ Green, and Green for some reason or one another, hated Red.

Red did his best to ignore Green's taunting, making his way towards the door, but Green blocked his way with his arm. "What, you still can't talk, weirdo?" He jabbed.

"Leave me alone."

"That's more like it! Least have some guts to speak up if you're gonna be away from your mom!" Green crossed his arms, and snickered. This was a common occurrence. Red hated talking, and Green would take whatever chance he could to take pot shots at him for it. It did nothing to make him feel less nervous about it. And how was he supposed to like going outside if _he_ was there to taunt him every waking moment? That didn't make him a momma's boy, or whatever else. It wasn't fair, it wasn't fair.

"Leave me _alone,_" Red states again, his tone holding firm.

"Yes, leave him alone, Green," called another voice as the lab door opened. Green's head whipped around to spot his grandfather, Professor Oak, rubbing his head and stepping outside. "How many times do I have to tell you not to tease him? Don't make me think twice about giving you a pokemon, now." The threat went unchallenged, for Green straightened up immediately. Red wanted to smirk, but he didn't want to jinx this good luck. "Now, come inside, both of you! It's a little warm out here."

The boys followed Professor Oak into the lab. Red couldn't help but smile again as he saw all sorts of machines, papers scattered about, and the professor's many assistants busy tending to different pokemon. The lab felt like a second home to Red, and he loved every second of being here.

The professor stopped at his desk, before turning around and clearing his throat. "Now, as you know, today is the day both of you begin your journey as pokemon trainers!" Oak's smile seemed to warm up the room. "The experience of your first journey is unforgettable, and the bond between trainer and pokemon is unbreakable! I _know_ both of you will do fantastic out there, and I couldn't think of anyone else to give these special pokemon to!" The professor steps aside and gestures towards the table. Atop of it were 3 pokeballs, sitting alongside each other. Both boys' eyes widened in excitement, and the professor smiled wider. "Go ahead, pick one!"

Red and Green exchange a quick glance. Green flicks his hair and shrugs. "You can go first," he began, "Think of it as your late present, dork." Red rolled his eyes before stepping over to the table. As Oak wagged his finger at Green, Red eyed his options. Three choices… they all seemed perfect for him, though. He could just feel it. However, that was a problem, and he couldn't just sit here all day. So, Red decided to do what any rational person would do.

He began pointing to each ball in order, muttering something under his breath. "Eenie, meanie, miney, mo…" The boy's mumbling catches the attention of both Green and Professor Oak, the latter chuckling softly at this action, while the former rolled his eyes. Red's finger stopped at the far left corner, finally. He reached forward, grabbed the ball, before tossing it in the air. (Geez, he hoped this was how these things worked.) A flash of white takes form atop the table as a small, green pokemon with what appeared to be a bud atop its back. Oak seemed to beam upon the sight.

"Ah, bulbusaur!" He exclaimed, "They're extremely loyal, and excellent caretakers! They can grow to be fairly powerful, too. Is this the pokemon you wish to be your partner?" Red stared at the quadruped with silent awe. He thought that it looked really cool, cute too, but mostly cool. He almost didn't process Oak's question, but he nodded all the same. Oak mimics this nod and places his hand against his chin, humming softly. "Excellent choice, Red! I always thought it would be the perfect pokemon for you!"

Red had long since put the professor out of his mind. He raised his hand up for the bulbusaur to sniff, which it accepted. Red placed his hand against the bulbusaur's forehead, and it leaned into his touch rather quickly, smiling and shutting its eyes.

"Well, if you're going with a bulbusaur," Green began as he stepped towards the table himself, reaching for the ball just beside him, "Then I choose _this_ one!" He tossed the ball into the air. White light took form once again, followed by a bright red. The pokemon seemed to be reptilian, and carried a flame above its tail. Oak took this as a chance to speak up once again.

"Charmander! A favorite of many trainers across the world!" Green turned his head and cocked a brow, as if to ask, "Really?" Oak continued on despite. "It's native to hot, mountainous areas. In the wild, they exhibit pact behavior, but nowadays, you see many in the care of trainers, despite their rarity! They grow up to be powerful if trained properly!" His tone at the end felt a little stern, despite his smile. Green caught on quickly, and rolled his eyes.

"C'mon, gramps, no way I'd be a bad trainer," He reaches his hand out to the charmander, who takes a sniff, before grabbing the larger hand with its tiny claws. "Ain't that right, little guy? We're gonna go all the way to the top!" His eyes fall on to Red, smirking towards him. Red caught his glance, and stuck his tongue out at Green, who returned the action.

"Alright alright alright," Oak snapped his fingers, falling on beat with his words, "Don't start now. I still have something else to ask of you." The boys begrudgingly turned their attention to Oak, who had turned his back to them and began making his way towards his desk. He motions for the boys to follow him, and they do as told. Oak begins to rummage around in one of the boxes on his desk marked as "fragile," tossing out bubble wrap and tissue paper alike, all before letting a quick "aha," part his lips, and pulls out two bright red, rectangular shaped devices. Neither boy had seen anything like them.

"In exchange for giving you two your first pokemon, I must ask something of each of you. _This_ is the pokedex, a hi-tech encyclopedia containing information on different pokemon throughout Kanto! It will help you on your journey by displaying information on pokemon you've captured! And, well," He pauses for a moment, setting the pokedexes down on his desk before continuing, "I'm a little too… _old_, to be running around filling it up myself, so, in exchange for giving you your start as trainers, I want you both to help me with my research!"

Green shrugged his shoulders before stepping over to Oak's desk and sliding one of the dexes off of it. "Sure thing, gramps. Least I can do, right?" He smiles up towards Oak, and the professor returns the gesture. Green takes the other in his hand and begins walking towards Red to hand it over, but before Red could grab it, Green santched it away. "Maybe you wanna give up now, because I'm _not_ gonna lose to someone like you."

"_Evergreen __**Oak**__-_"

"I'll win." Red snatches the dex from Green's hands, and places it in his back pocket. Green furrows his brow, but the moment he opened his mouth to respond, Red shoved his finger in Green's face, glaring daggers at him. "I'll never lose to _you._"

Green blinked, and stared at Red in silence, before shaking his head and walking past him. "Yeah _right,_ dork." As Green made his way towards the door, his charmander began to follow close behind him, before both of them exited the lab. With the two gone, Red returned his attention to his bulbusaur, motioning for it to come along with him. Bulbusaur hops off of the table and trots its way over to its trainer. However, before he could turn to leave, Oak clears his throat.

"If I may," he began, catching the young boy's attention, "Give my granddaughter, Daisy, a visit before you leave town! Have her give you her old town map, alright?" Red nods in response. Once he turns again, Oak continued. "One other thing-" Red almost wanted to groan, but he refrained from doing so. "I know that, uh, you aren't a talkative type, but please, don't be afraid to talk with other trainers, or ask for help. It can be scary for you, but really, it's no different than talking to pokemon!"

There's a silence the blows throughout the lab. Oak wasn't sure if Red was mulling over what he'd said, or if he just didn't have anything to say. After years of practically raising him alongside his mother, Oak hoped that he'd have gotten better at reading Red, but it was far from the case. Perhaps, he should just stick to understanding pokemon, he tells himself.

"Anyway, I know you'll do fantastic. So, don't let me keep you waiting!" Red nods and continues to walk towards the exit, As he walks out the door, Oak shouts at him. "I hope you enjoy the wonderful world of pokemon!" Slam.

Was it Red, or had it gotten even hotter than when he stepped inside the lab? Maybe he just missed the air conditioning of the lab, but Red's first thought was to ask Daisy for some baby powder, let alone a town map. He felt like no amount of cold showers would make him feel less sticky than he knew this day would make him. Maybe if he asked nicely, he could have some water.

Bulbusaur gently nudges Red's leg, catching the young boy's attention. Red knelt down and patted his partner's head. Watching it gently nudge it's head into his hand made him think; if he was going to get close to this pokemon, he should probably find something to call him aside from just, well, bulbasaur.

Seedling? No. Tree? No way, that sounded way too much like Oak, and therefore Green. Sprout? No, not that either…

"Hey."

Bulbusaur's eyes shot open as Red pulled his hand away. "Do you like the name Saur?" Said bulbusaur seemed to mull that over for a bit, before nodding its head. That was easy. Simple, too. Looked like Saur it was.

With that in mind, Red reached for the pokeball again, and pressed it to Saur's head, returning it to its portable home. With that out of the way, Red began to make his way to the Oak family home, with a bit of a spring in his step.

It hadn't hit him completely till now. He really _was_ a trainer now, wasn't he? He may not be a very strong one just yet, but this small step made the boy incredibly giddy the more he thought about it. Unconsciously, Red began to break into a light jog, and a smile painted across his face.

He would be the greatest trainer. He _would_ be the greatest trainer. _He __**would**_ _be the __**greatest trainer!**_

Red skid to a stop as the Oak house came into view. He takes a deep breath before stepping up to the front door, and knocking. Red was okay with Daisy- she wasn't mean like her brother- but asking a favor of her when they definitely weren't exactly friends didn't make him less anxious. Actually, asking for a favor in general made him feel anxious, but this specific tidbit wasn't helping.

The door swung open, and there stood Daisy, though Red almost didn't notice the map in her hand since he was distracted by something else; Green looming just behind her.

"Oh, _you_? Buzz off!" He groans. Daisy rubs the bridge of her nose in frustration. Red wanted to retort, but he also didn't wanna talk to Green more than he had to. So, he kept his attention on Daisy…

...except, he couldn't manage to say anything. Eugh, this always happened. All he had to do was say he wanted to borrow her map for the journey, but a meowth may as well have just yanked his tongue straight out. He hated talking, and he hated that he could barely talk.

"Look, we've got better things to do than watch you clam up for a billion years," Green spat, "so get going!"

"Map."

"Excuse you?"

Who knew the only push Red needed to say at least _something_ was Green's ribbing? He would prefer to go without it for the rest of his life, yes, but if it got this conversation done and over with already, Red _needed_ to choke something out.

"_I'm_ taking that map," Green began, "what makes you even think she'd give it to you? I'm her brother."

"Oak sent me."

"So _what_? Gramps knows I need one too!"

Daisy attempted to break this up by clearing her throat. "Guys, I have more than-"

"I need that map."

"Why? You'll just come running home in a week anyway, won't you momma's boy?"

"Guys-" Daisy tried, once again, but it fell upon dead ears.

"I'm _not_ a momma's boy! You can't just get everything you want, spoiled brat!"

"Oh, I'm spoiled?! You're the one gramps babies. Why don't you toughen up for once?"

"Shut up! I'm not the one that thinks he's important because of a last name!"

"You know what?! You want that stupid map so bad?! Then we'll battle for it!"

.

..

...

Red was not going to lose. He refused to lose to Green. He'd rather die than watch this kid with terrible hair continue to talk down to him like he was so much better. He wasn't! He _wasn't_! Red instinctively nods and begins walking away from the door. Green smirks and steps outside with him, shoving past Daisy on his way out. Said sister let out a soft sigh and closed the door. One way or another, this was going to end in conflict, so she needed to grab some potions, and perhaps a revive.

Where did she put those things again..?

Red and Green stared each other down in front of the Oak house. Red was the first to call out his partner pokemon, reaching for the ball strapped to his waist and tossing it into the air. Saur popped free, letting out a cry as it landed. Green followed suit by tossing out his charmander, who let out a shrill cry of its own.

"We'll go easy on you, okay momma's boy?" Green taunts. "I'll even let you have the first move!" Red rolled his eyes, but he wasn't gonna turn this chance down, even if it did make him gag that Green was giving him a "handicap." All he had to do was make sure Green didn't get the chance to strike back. He may not have overwhelming power, like the elite 4, but neither did Green. Attack, attack, attack, all he had to do was attack!

...Wait, what attacks did his bulbasaur know? Should he just _try_ one? He considered it, but an idea crossed his mind. Red reached into his back pocket and pulled out his pokedex, before flipping it open. It takes him a couple seconds to try and figure out how to turn it on, but once he did, he just… points it at Saur.

_Known moves; Tackle and Growl._

Good enough.

As Red closed his pokedex, he managed to call out, "Saur, tackle!" Saur nods its head before charging forward. Green smirked and crossed his arms.

"Dodge, and use Scratch!" He commands. The charmander braced itself as Saur grew closer, closer, and closer, before stepping out of the way at the last second and slashing at the quadriped's side. Saur stumbles a bit, but quickly adjusts its positioning and slams into charmander with it's full weight, earning a cry of pain.

"One more time! Tackle!" Red shouts. Saur does as told and rams into the charmander, causing it to fall flat on it's back, however, it quickly hopped back to its feet, glaring daggers at its opponent.

"Not bad, momma's boy!" Green taunts, crossing his arms, "But it'll take more than that to beat me! Charmander, scratch! Go for the legs!" Charmander nodded and charged forward, taking a quick swipe at Saur's forelegs, causing the poor thing to stumble. "Now, keep it up!"

"No way! Saur, throw em off!"

Saur began to meet each swipe head on, quite literally blocking blows with its head. With each traded blow, Red stared on in concern. He had hoped to overwhelm Green, but maybe it was stupid of him to think that. They were still beginners, and he shouldn't get ahead of himself. He didn't know how long Saur could keep up the defensive, so he needed to think of a new strategy.

Saur was fast, but he wasn't as fast as Charmander was, that much Red could tell. However, in terms of striking strength, they appeared even. So, all he had to do was… _aha_! "Saur, dodge!" Saur nods and dodges the incoming swipe, causing Charmander to stumble. "Now! Use growl!" Saur nods and takes a deep breath before letting out a loud cry, forcing shivers to crawl through Charmander's body. "Now, tackle!"

"Oh no you don't! Scratch, Charmander!"

Charmander did its best to counter the tackle with its swipe, but it appeared to have lost its effectiveness. Saur easily deflected Charmander's claws before slamming into the salamander's stomach. Charmander falls onto its back, clutching its stomach and crying out.

_A direct hit._

"Nice one, Saur!" Red called out. Saur turned to smile at their trainer, but this distraction was all Green needed to strike back.

"Charmander! Scratch, and circle it!" Charmander nodded before hopping to its feet, taking a swipe at Saur's face just as they whipped their head around. Upon recoiling, Charmander took this chance to dash around Saur, taking quick swipes at them at every occasion. Saur did its best to try and keep up, but couldn't keep up with their eyes no matter how they tried.

Red grit his teeth and clenched his fists. If this kept up, he was definitely gonna lose this, no matter how much he lowered Charmander's attack power. His best hope was to.. Wait, that _could_ work, but it was risky.

"Saur! Hang in there! Trust me, okay?" Saur turned their head back to their trainer, confused as to what on earth he could mean, but he did as told and stayed put. Charmander continued its assault, swiping at random in order to avoid a clear rhythm. Saur did their best to endure each blow, tensing up its body in order to absorb the shock of Charmander's slashes. However, their legs gave in eventually, and Saur fell. Charmander skid to a stop, panting heavily.

"Let's bring it home, Charmander!" Green shouts. Charmander nodded, and readied its claws.

"Now, tackle!"

Saur's eyes widened. As Charmander struck down, Saur thrust their body forward, clashing with Charmander's claw, breaking through and colliding with Charmander's stomach once again. The salamander flew back before landing on its back, unconscious. Saur smirked, before collapsing themselves. Red grit his teeth. This was a draw in the end after all.

"Are you _kidding_ me?" Green smacked his forehead and let out an exasperated sigh. Red _wanted_ to take pleasure in this, but no matter how he thought about it, he couldn't get over the fact that this didn't count as a win. His plan _had_ worked, but at a cost. Would it have felt better to just lose flat out?

"Alright, come on."

Before the other two could make any moves, Daisy reappeared from the Oak house, holding what appeared to be a box full of.. Medicine? Potions, antidotes, revives, you name it, it was there.

"It's a draw, now come inside so I can patch up your pokemon, and give you _both_ a map, like I was trying to say earlier" she states before walking back inside. Red and Green exchange a glance, before walking over to their partners and picking them up into their arms and following Daisy back inside.

Red made two mental notes; one, he needs to listen more and not get as angry. This whole thing definitely could have been avoided if he hadn't acted so dumb… Even if Green had been provoking him. Actually, it's still mostly his fault. Red was just following orders. The second was the following; he couldn't allow himself to draw with Green. He _wouldn't_ allow himself to draw with green again. If he was to be the greatest trainer, he could have no equal. It was very clear he had work to do.

But, that was okay. Despite everything, Red knew he would still go farther than any trainer in Kanto. He just had to believe, and work to make that dream a reality.

He would be the greatest trainer.

He _would_ be the greatest trainer.

_He __**would**_ _be the __**greatest trainer**__._


End file.
